The Relationship between Religion and Morality

Meta-Ethical theory

God tells us what is immoral/immoral

Examples:

• Ten Commandments
• Sermon on the Mount
• Shariah Law

Advantages

• Surely no better source for deciding what is right and wrong than God's unchanging law?
• God is inherently good
• Absolute Rules
• God knows what is best for us: objective as well as our creator.

Disadvantages

• If God can change laws whenever he wants then morality isn't set and is therefore redundant.
• Religious pluralism: how do we know which one is right?
• Interpretation is subjective.
• Reliant on belief in God.
• In conflict with modern life.
• The Euthryphro dilemma

What is the problem if God only commands X because it is good?

God is only the messenger and is redundant. Why worship a God subject to the same moral rules as us?

What is the problem if X is only good because God commands it?

God decides what is moral. God could command us to do anything evem immoral actions.

The Moral Argument

• God is the maximum/ cause of everything including goodness.
• If God is the maximum/perfect he must exist.
• All lesser forms must strive towards that ultimate good.

Theonomy - All morality is revealed through one revelation, The Bible.

Heteronomy - Morality is revealed by God in many forms e.g. the 10 commandments, NML and the Bible.

Autonomy - Morality is governed by the individual but can use sources of revelation to guide/inspire e.g. situation ethics.

Describes religion as a virus:

• Misleads education
• Motivates terrorism
• Giving children a religion is a form of child abuse.

Explanations for the origin of morality:

• Not from God.
• Morality evolves to maximise our opportunities in society, especially the continuation of the species.

Immoral actions condoned by religious teachings:

• condemnation of homosexuality
• discrimination of women

Quiverfull:

• promote big families
• abstain from all forms of birth control

Westboro Baptist Church:

• known for engaging in inflammatory, homophobic and anti-american pickets.

Yes - God's law overrides the moral law of society (Kierkegaard)

No - If morality is universal then surely it should stand up to pressure even from God. Leads us to question free will.